Spike-fuller



A. McLAIN.

SPIKE PULLEH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. 1919.

1,326,758. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

INVENTOR 4N0)?! 11/77 24/ ATTORNEYS WIN/E8858 fwfmm ANDREW MGLAIN, OF CARNEGIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPIKE-FULLER.

Application filed May 5, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW MOLAIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Carnegie, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Spike-Puller, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a device for extracting spikes, and aims more particularly to provide a device of this nature which shall be peculiarly adaptable for the extraction of spikes driven into railroad ties to secure tracks to such ties.

One object of this invention is the provision of certain construction which will make it possible to easily engage the head of a spike, even though such head should be driven flush with a retaining medium, such as a tie.

A further object of the invention is the construction of a puller which will extract spikes by exerting upon them a pull in a substantially opposite direction from the force used to embed them in their retaining medium." By this latter function, the largest of spikes may be extracted from their retaining medium without being bent in the least.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a construction, in connection with the pulling of a rail grab, which shall be adjustable so that spikes which are located unusually far away from the rail may be just as readily withdrawn as spikes which are at the proper distance from such rail.

Having these various objects in mind, I have constructed a spike puller embodying these various constructions, one practical embodiment of which is illustrated in the ap ended sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a spike puller;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a partly sectional view taken along the line 83 of Fig. '1.

In these views, like reference numerals designate similar parts, and 1 indicates a handle, which may be of wood or other suitable material, to which is secured, by means of a socket or side plates 2, a head 3 having an outwardly extending toe 4 formed with a spike-engaging claw 5. In this connection Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Serial No. 294,791.

I wish it understood, however, that I may make this head, together with the shank 2, in one piece with the handle 1, the latterbeing constructed of any suitable material.

Pivotally secured to the head, adjacent its point of connection with'the socket 2, is what might be termed a fulcrum 5, which may be retained in the elevated position illustrated in Fig. 1 by means of an open ing 6 formed in its ground-engaging face, into which may project a slidable bolt 7 mounted by means of guides, such as 8, to the handle socket and operated, for instance, by means of a pivoted finger catch 9 and connecting link 10.

Pivotally secured to the head 3, as indicated at 11, is a rail grab, including an upwardly and horizontally extending body portion, the upwardly extending portion being bifurcated, as at 12, for permitting the claw 5 to swing to its extreme upward movement, carrying the spike with it. Slidably mounted upon the body of the rail grab is a stop 13, which may be held in any desired position upon the rail grab by means of a wedge 14; formed with beaded foot and head portions, as indicated by the reference numeral 15. These portions serve to retain the wedge member 14 within the opening formed through the stop 13, so that any possibility of loss of this member would be effectually prevented.

In operation, assuming that it is desired to remove a spike, such as A, from out of engagement with the rail X. It will be seen that this may readily be accomplished by adjusting the stop 13 so that the handle 1 will extend in a substantially vertical plane above the spike A when the stop 13, mounted upon the rail grab, engages the farther side of the rail. A pull upon the finger catch 9 will now extract the bolt 7 within the guides 8 and will permit the fulcrum 5 to swing downwardly to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Either before or immediately after the dropping of the fulcrum, the spike A is engaged by the claw 5, and the handle 1 may now be swung outwardly and downwardly, whereby the spike will be moved upwardly in a vertical plane, due to the restraining effect of the rail grab.

Having now described my invention, what I desire to claim is:

1. A spike puller, including a handle and a head secured to the lower end thereof, and an upwardly and horizontally extending rail grab pivotally secured to the head and having slidably positioned upon its outer portion an adjustable stop.

2. A spike puller, including a handle and a head secured to the lower end thereof, a rail grab pivotally secured to the head and having positioned upon its outer portion an adjustable stop, such stop including a slidable member, and means associated with such slidable member for locking the same to the body of the rail grab in any desired position.

3. A spike puller, including a handle and a head secured to the lower end thereof, a rail grab pivotally secured to the head and having positioned upon its outer portion an adjustable stop, such stop including a slidable member, and a wedge interposed between such slidable member and the body of the rail grab for locking the same in any desired position.

4. A spike puller, including a handle, a head secured to the lower end thereof, and a rail grab pivotally secured to the head and having slidably positioned upon its outer portion a longitudinally-movable stop.

5. A spike puller, including a handle, a head associated with such handle, a spikeengaging claw projecting from the lower end of such head, a fulcrum pivotally secured to such head at a point adjacent its connection with the handle, such fulcrum being formed with an opening in its ground engaging the face, a bolt slidably mounted upon such handle, the lower end of such bolt being adapted to project within the said opening, and means for retracting and projecting such bolt.

ANDREW MoLAIN. 

